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Wednesday, June 20, 2012 | ||
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Daily Archives: 06/21/2012
Give Health Care to Firefighters Who Battle Wildfires …John Lauer, Denver, CO
Give Health Care to Firefighters Who Battle Wildfires Started by: John Lauer, Denver, CO Right now, wildfires are raging in New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona. And more are sure to come. I’m a part of a hotshot crew of firefighters. We are on call to go anywhere, at any time to fight fires in our country. It’s intense work, but my crew is like my family and we are all committed to serving our communities. Because wildfire is more common from May to October, most of us are seasonally employed. More than 90% of us return year after year and we often work the equivalent of a full year in 6-7 months. Despite this — and despite putting our lives on the line every day — we still don’t have the opportunity to buy into a government health care plan even at the most basic level. This is because we are classified as temporary workers. I have been a wildland firefighter for 6 years and I still don’t have health insurance, but I’m one of the lucky ones. Just in my own hotshot crew, I’ve seen the damage and suffering this lack of coverage can produce. My godson, Rudy, was born prematurely. Rudy’s dad, a fellow firefighter, was stuck with $70,000 worth of hospital bills that he and his wife couldn’t pay back. All because the federal government won’t allow him to access health insurance. Another crew member’s child, who was born even more recently, required special attention in the hospital and his parents’ are now facing a $40,000 in medical bills. Wildland firefighters face enormous risks in order to serve and protect our communities. In the past 12 years, 179 wildland firefighters have been killed in the line of duty, and the conditions of the firefighting environment have been linked to cancer and permanent lung damage. We want federal legislation that gives us that option, but we know that Congress can be slow moving. That’s why we are asking President Obama to extend health coverage benefits to seasonal wildland firefighters. Baby Rudy doesn’t deserve to be born into debt — his father is a hero. Click here to sign my petition to make sure firefighters have health care. |
Wicked for Marriage … from Zach Silk, Washington United for Marriage
What if I told you that you could go see a performance of Wicked the musical in Seattle and have the proceeds go to Washington United for Marriage?
Well, you can because the producers of Wicked’s traveling tour are donating the proceeds of the October 18 performance to our campaign to defend the freedom to marry!
It’s going to be a great night, and you can get your tickets now – before any performances are even on sale to the general public.
Get your tickets now for a special performance of Wicked now!
From the Wicked website:
| Winner of 35 major awards including the Grammy Award and three Tony Awards, Wicked is the untold story of the witches of Oz. Long before Dorothy drops in, two other girls meet in the land of Oz. One, born with emerald-green skin, is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. Wicked tells the story of their remarkable odyssey, how these two unlikely friends grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good. |
Wicked has been on Broadway for eight years and still plays to sold-out audiences.
This is your chance to go see Wicked and benefit our campaign to defend the freedom to marry in Washington.
Why won’t they test the DNA? … Jon Perri, Change.org
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The “all time champ in wrongful convictions”? Kirstin Lobato was 19 when she was sent to prison for murder — despite the fact that no physical evidence tied her to the crime scene, multiple witnesses testified that she was almost 200 miles away at the time, and other evidence pointed to a completely different person. Crucial DNA evidence ignored: For ten years, law enforcement officials have refused to test DNA evidence from the crime scene, even though it could exonerate Kirstin and find the real killer. Kirstin’s friend Michelle Ravell says the reason is clear: they know it could prove they’ve kept an innocent woman in prison for ten years. But now, there is new hope. You can help exonerate an innocent woman: A new District Attorney has just been appointed, and he has the power to agree to new DNA tests. Michelle says it’s a chance for him to right an historic wrong — and she knows that if he hears from thousands of people across the country, he’ll be convinced to take this opportunity to uncover the truth. —————— Here’s more information about Michelle’s campaign, in her own words. Kirstin Blaise Lobato is an innocent woman stuck in prison while evidence in her case goes untested for DNA. In 2002 at 19 years old, Kirstin was convicted for the murder and sexual assault of a homeless man named Duran Bailey in Las Vegas. But there was no physical evidence tying Kirstin to the crime and the evidence that was tested for DNA actually excluded her. There were four identifiable crime scene fingerprints – none matched Kirstin’s. A bloody shoe print was found next to the body and a footprint expert testified that it came from a “U.S. men’s size 9 athletic shoe.” Pubic hair found on the victim was tested for DNA and the results excluded both Blaise and the victim as the hair’s source. Multiple people testified that Kirstin was nearly 200 miles away from Las Vegas at the time of the crime. What happened to Kirstin could happen to anyone. But now, Kirstin has the opportunity to prove her innocence if Clark County District Attorney Stephen Wolfson makes two very reasonable decisions: to allow DNA testing of crime scene evidence and to not file any opposition to Kirstin’s appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court. The Innocence Project, an organization whose DNA testing work has freed 292 innocent people from prison, has offered to pay to test and re-test 13 pieces of evidence related to the crime using the latest in DNA technology and Wolfson still won’t allow it. In addition to the DNA evidence, Kirstin has proven her innocence by way of her Habeas Corpus petition‘s new evidence grounds. If the State of Nevada District Attorney doesn’t oppose her Appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court, justice will finally be served and she can regain her life. Clark County District Attorney Stephen Wolfson has a chance to do the right thing and to seek true justice in the murder of Duran Bailey. Please sign this petition and ask District Attorney Wolfson to allow DNA testing of crime scene evidence and to not file any opposition to Kirstin’s appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court. |
Postponed – July Save Our African American Treasures Program in New York City
Dear Charter Members and Friends of the Museum,
The museum regrets to announce the postponement of the July 2012 Save Our African American Treasures program scheduled at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, New York City.
Discussion is underway to establish a new date. Once the date has been confirmed, we will post it on our website at www.nmaahc.si.edu under Programs.
We look forward to bringing Save Our African American Treasures to New York City soon.








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